The authorities of Onitsha South Local Government Area of Anambra State have refuted claims by the Indigenous People of Biafra that it was recruiting “fake” operatives of Eastern Security Network, an armed wing of IPOB, to carry out demolitions in Onitsha, the commercial city of the state.
The Secretary, Onitsha South LGA, Paul Onuachalla, said it was untrue that the Transitional Chairman of the council, Chief Emeka Orji, recruited “fake” ESN operatives to carry out demolitions in Onitsha.
Onuachalla stated this in a press statement on Sunday, adding that the claims of recruitment of criminals and thugs as security operatives in the name of ESN was totally false, unfounded and malicious.
Recall that IPOB, through its spokesman, Emma Powerful, had in a statement on Sunday, also alleged that the Onitsha LGA chairman had been impersonating ESN during demolition of people’s properties in Onitsha.
Powerful said, “Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, and his errand boy, Emeka Orji, who is the Transitional Chairman of Onitsha South Local Government Area, are recruiting criminals, who claimed to be ESN operatives and used them to intimidate innocent Onitsha residents. This Emeka Orji recruited and trained his criminal gangs that impersonated ESN.
“The criminal gangs operating in Onitsha under the command of Emeka Orji are not IPOB/ESN. They are common criminals and must be treated as such. ESN operatives are in the bushes combating terrorist herdsmen and their cows. ESN members do not engage in civil matters and do not intimidate or harass innocent people. The government of Soludo and his errand boy, Hon. Emeka Orji, should stop using the name of ESN in their nefarious activities.”
But Onuachalla, who reacted on behalf of the Onitsha LGA, said, “It is untrue that the Transitional Chairman of Onitsha South Local Government Area, Chief Emeka Orji, has anything to do with the Eastern Security Network and or IPOB and or claimed to have recruited anyone from them.
“The ‘allegation’ and or purported rebuttal by the spokesman for the Indigenous People of Biafra, Emma Powerful, with the caption, Re: recruitment of criminals and thugs as security operatives in the name of Eastern Security Network ESN is totally false, unfounded and malicious.
“For completeness, the Anambra State government has always had a security body known as Anambra Vigilante Services and later AVG from which security personnel of the council area are drawn. The AVS later AVG as a body has been in existence and active for at least two decades now.
“Clearly, the allegation is pure antics of paid agents to rubbish the good works of the chairman and by extension, the administration of Governor Charles Soludo.
“It is of note that we have the Anambra Vigilante Services from which the personnel and officers of the security unit of the council area are drawn and the process of recruitment is transparent whilst President Generals of communities where they come from or reputable citizens with excellent track records must attest to their character.
“We want to believe that Emma Powerful must have been misled by political manipulators, rumour mongers, land grabbers and selfish political jobbers who could not lay hands on any issue about the Council area to rubbish the good works of our Chairman on many fronts.
“We are well aware that land grabbers, desperate politicians and vested interest masquerading themselves as ‘stakeholders’ are not pleased with T.C. Chairman’s land recovery, urban regeneration and restoration policies of Onitsha South LGA in line with policy trust of Soludo-led state government.
“Again, the present allegation via IPOB spokesman is illogical and repugnant to common sense. It is a pure cleve- b- half attempt to drag the council into sensitive national security matters, which is beyond her constitutional role. Perhaps it is important to ask if IPOB/ESN Mazi Emma Powerful is speaking for National Inland Waterways, the Nigerian Army and other vested interests on this occasion?
“We wish to urge Mr Emma Powerful not to allow himself to be used by selfish politicians, land grabbers and peddlers of falsehood, all in the name of the Biafran struggle.”
